Building Your Medicine Chest: Turmeric Chai Tea

We all have our go-to-remedies and today I would like to share with you one of mine.

Turmeric is one of the world’s most powerful natural healers. Its’ active ingredient curcumin, has been known for centuries to have extremely potent medicinal properties and is documented as being effective in treating a variety of conditions.

Other than the occasional curry, I struggled to add this beneficial root herb to our diet. That was until I created a Turmeric Chai Tea!

My palate rejoices simply at the thought of this drink.

10 Reasons Why Turmeric Is One of My Favorite Remedies

Turmeric is an anti-microbial. That means it will attack both bacterial infections and viral infections and destroy both. It is particularly effective in treating illnesses of the respiratory system (this makes it a superb remedy for the cold and flu season).

It has shown to prevent and stop the growth of prostate, breast, skin, lung and colon cancer

Note: Cayenne pepper, although optional in the recipe, will speed the turmeric through the blood stream by relaxing blood vessels down to capillaries allowing more turmeric to get to the infections faster. Tea Prep(single serving)

-Using fresh herbs is always the better option. If using fresh turmeric and ginger increase steep time, during the prep, to 20 minutes.

-Because it stimulates the uterus, turmeric is not recommended for pregnant women. It is also contraindicated for those with gall bladder disease or gallstones. As a good general rule, please consult your physician prior to the use of any herbal/spice remedy.

-Turmeric, along with the other spices required in this recipe, is available in a well-appointed health food store, the spice aisle of most grocery stores. I purchase all of my spices in bulk online through Mountain Rose Herbs.

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Comments

Wendy @HerBallistic Gardensays

I've heard about the wonderful things turmeric does and thank you for posting this tea…I'll be trying this. xo

Anonymoussays

thank you…i'm def going to try this! Esther from fleurcottage

Stacy Makes Centssays

Wondering…..you said, painkiller – is this tea effective for headaches?

Jennysays

This is awesome! And a great idea for a homemade Christmas gift. Thanks =)

Junky Vagabondsays

thanks for posting this – I like curries but don't really get enough of it to make a difference. Will try this and let you know what I think!-Jill

Allison at Novice Lifesays

Interesting! I will have to give it a try 🙂

Laurasays

What a fantastic idea to combine turmeric and chai tea. I will be making this tea very soon-perfect in the winter!

folkhavensays

I had learned of the benefits of turmeric some time a go and had tried sneaking it into our diets willy nilly as much as I could. Then I kinda for got all about it. Now both my son and I are suffering from allergies and he reacts to most allergy medication with hyperactivity and extreme insomnia. I can't take the medicine either as I'm breastfeeding him, so he reacts to my medicine too. Thanks for the reminder about turmeric. Since it reduces inflammation it will probably help with our allergies.

And Indian neighbor told me that turmeric also helps broken bones to knit. They give it to children with broken bones mixed into milk and the bones knit faster and stronger than without the use of turmeric.

Leighsays

You may ant to try Home made milk Kefir to cure your allergies,it worked for me and mine.

Rachelsays

This sounds wonderful! I was going to make turmeric honey for my dad as he struggles with arthritis and gout, both of which benefit from turmeric. I may make this instead. I think I'll probably use cut and whole spices as they hold their properties a bit better.

Nirusays

Very interesting. I ate haldi (turmeric) every day during both of pregnancies (as do millions of Indian women) and suffered no ill effects. Stimulating the uterus can actually help in the delivery process.

Thanks for this great way to increase it in your diet! I add it too almost all vegetables that I sautee. It doesn't change the flavor much, just adds as aroma. I also add it to soups. I really love mixing it with polenta, makes it look so much more buttery. Yum.

LoeLaLoep (Heidi)says

It sure sounds good, especially for the health. Thanks for sharing, I'll keep an eye open for all the ingredients.

the momma (aka Shannon)says

hmmm…i'm going to have to give this a try! thanks for the recipe!

Judee @ Gluten Free A-Zsays

This is such a great and informative post. I posted a recipe this week using tumeric and want to start including more in my diet. I love this tea. I just pinned it and am going to mention in my blog with a link… thanks so much for sharing it.

Jensays

I have all the spices, but alas no chai tea. I could use it about right now to knock the rest of this cold outta here. . Thanks for the tip. I will have to get this ready from my next cold attack!

Morgansays

I think the recipe is for the turmeric chai tea powder so you wouldn’t have to have extra chai tea to add 🙂

dishesanddishessays

I have been looking for a way to get more turmeric in my diet but this is the best idea I've seen yet! Thank you so much for posting this!

Olah Momma!says

I bookmarked this recipe to make. Love teas, but haven't tried one with turmeric.

Followed and Liked your lovely blog. I am also inviting you to join Autumn Blog Hop 2011 at Momma's Lounge ( http://olahmomma.com/momlounge ) where you meet more mom bloggers; shout away; add your giveaways and/or blog and business links; and get featured by sharing your crafts, recipes and interesting musings.

I can't wait to share this post with my daughter. She has recently added tumeric to her diet and has been reading about the great healing properties of this herb/spice. This tea sounds wonderful. Thanks for sharing.

Anonymoussays

Did you know that Curcumin is quite difficult for the body to absorb?Black pepper (piperine) has been shown to multiply the absorption by 2,000 times! Also, best when mixed with an oil.Regards, Anita.

Curcumin-turmeric.net/Mona idols.wordpress.com/

Good Girl Gone Greensays

I am trying this today.I had a head cold for a day and just getting over it.Maybe this will get it once and for all out of my system.

Anonymoussays

I was so excited to find this recipe because I have been trying to find a way to incorporate turmeric into my diet. I tried it today and had a problem when I got to straining it. The sludge in the strainer was thick and gel like and wouldn't release the liquid through the mesh. I tried a strainer with bigger holes and still the mixture just sat there. Even when I tried to stir it around so some liquid would drain through. I would say I got about half the liquid in the end. Any suggestions?Thanks,Barb

i just made this myself and had the best luck straining it through a nut milk bag. it will turn it yellow because of the turmeric. delicious though!

Carolyn Heckmansays

I had trouble with this too. After letting this steep, i used a small tea strainer, and i strained just a bit at at time into another mug, rinsing out the strainer as soon as a bunch sat in the strainer. I strained the tea 2 or 3 times and it was good.

Shylasays

Sitting here feeling poorly right now. I've just printed this up and will have my daughter whip some up for me. Nothing has sounded good to me until this.

What a wonderful way to incorporate turmeric in your diet. I really enjoyed reading this post. Thank you for sharing it with the Hearth and Soul hop.

Diptysays

Great post. Turmeric mixed with honey is great for sore throat. Just mix 1 tsp with enough honey to paste like consistency. Take it along with warm cup of water. Have it 2 to 3 times a day. Have it just at the onset and no more sore throat.

Susiesays

Someone may have already mentioned, but freshly ground black pepper has much higher synergistic properties with turmeric than cayenne. It doesn’t alter the flavor as much, doesn’t make it as hot, and helps the turmeric work even better than cayenne does!

Amandasays

I am going to have to give this a try. I’ve been adding turmeric to our food any chance I get and look forward to giving this a try. I add it to many different dishes like any egg dish, esp scrambled eggs (looks more buttery & yummy). I also add it to pretty much any rice dish that I think I can get away with like, Mexican & Chinese fried rice and to my stocks & soups. Good stuff! Thanks for the recipe 🙂

just made this and it’s delicious! only used 1/2 tsp cayenne and used a nut milk bag to strain. sweetened with raw honey and added coconut milk. really really good! i will add black pepper to next back as suggested.

Tomsays

Darn the luck! I’ve got gall stones. I’ve also got a large bottle of Turmeric. Guess it just pickles for me.

Beautiful recipe. Thanks so much.

A.E. Wiggssays

My husband is a bit of a skeptic. A sweet skeptic, but a skeptic all the same. He’s a trooper though & tries all sorts of things for me. I gave him this tea a few months ago when he was sick. He began feeling better within the hour. He suggested that the warmth have had more to do with his throat feeling better than the ingredients. So this time I gave it to him room temperature the morning after I had brewed it. Still worked. Imagine that. He’s almost a convert.

Dori Msays

Turmeric is also very good for cysts and that sort of problem on the skin. My husband gets a huge cyst about once a year, either behind his ear, or the past 15 years it had moved to the upper inside of his nose, between the bridge and his eye. very unpleasent looking, and causes much pain. on it’s own, it takes about two months from start to finish. many times he has had to have the doctor lance it and then keep it open to drain for a few days. Again, not pleasent feeling or looking. He started taking Turmeric powder, first mixed in a liquid, then in a pill form,about four years ago, and has only had one cyst in that time. But it never got as bad as they used to get. be aware that it can upset your stomach in larger doses, so if you also have this sort of skin problem, start out slowly, and add a little bit until you tolorate it at about 1 tablespoon or more a day. He did not trust me on this at first, but now is a beliver in it.

Sherisays

I made this yesterday and it was delicious. I used black pepper instead of cayenne. My husband has constant back pain from a military injury. When I told him about the benefits of turmeric, he wanted to try it. I made him a tall glass of it. He drank half and commented this morning on how soundly he slept (turmeric benefit). He finished the last half early this afternoon and noticed he didn’t have any pain in his back. So….I am making him another cup tonight before he goes to bed.

Thanks. This is a new journey for me and I am enjoying it.

Carolsays

I notice the comment about if you have gall bladder problems, you may want to contact your doctor. I have had my gall bladder removed years ago and find that cinnamon gives me heartburn. My fibromyalgia has been horrid lately, wondering if you think this tea would help me, without the cinnamon? I had just stumbled on the great comments about tumeric, anxious to hear what you think.

Andreasays

Hi Carol! Cinnamon is a key ingredient in Chai Tea, but I’m always up for trying new things in different ways 🙂 If you have the resources available…I say it’s worth a shot.

Wishya Knewsays

I already love Chai tea and I’d been looking for ways to get more turmeric in me besides in cooking and tossing some in a smoothie. I just made this chai from your recipe and I’m SUPER happy with it! I used 1tsp of cayenne instead of 2..and I think next time I’ll use just half a tsp of cayenne. But it turned out great! Thanks so much for sharing this!

I am finally trying this today… with alterations. My daughter has been battling a cough for six months now (yes you read that right) and after two different health practitioners, three rounds of antibiotics and multiple home remedies I took her to an acupuncturist (a referral from our DNP). She has just had her second of four scheduled treatments and the focus is now on building the lungs back up. The acupuncturist recommended golden milk, which is an Ayurvedic treatment (actually, I have no idea if they would call it a “treatment” or some other term, but for lack of a better term…). Golden milk uses just turmeric and black pepper and the process is a bit different than just pouring hot water over, like a tea. The spices are mixed with water to make a paste and cooked for seven minutes and I am going to assume there is something essential in that process of cooking. The paste is then stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 or 3 weeks and is scooped out to mix with milk as needed. So. I made your recipe because I love chai and the combination of spices you mixed up but I only used 1/4t. cayenne plus I added about a teaspoon of black pepper. Then I took out 1 teaspoon of the spice mix and whisked it into a little water and combined that paste with two cups of water in a pan to actually cook the spices. After the cooking I added cream, strained it into two cups and sweetened with a little honey (because I have no dairy milk that is digestible for me. Read: only pasteurized milk in my fridge right now, but I do have cream and this is how I make my hot cocoa too.) Very tasty indeed.

Lisasays

I love reading about natural remedies, but I’m always so cautious about using them because of the contraindications. I bleed heavily during my period. I am borderline anemic most other times. Do you know this tea will cause blood thinning in any way? If so, it’s a big no no for me. I saw the issue with uterus contraction and that makes me wonder too. Thanks

Andreasays

When in doubt…always consult with your medical provider 🙂

Jean DeNiosays

Cinnamon is a natural blood thinner.

Shea Daysays

I’ve not tried the cayenne version, but black pepper is often used with turmeric to get that same synergistic effect. Thanks for the recipe!

Gail Tsays

I have sprinkled tumeric on salads and lots of things, when I remember. I love chai tea, but I was super suprised at the cayenne. I have all the ingredients and can’t wait to try it. Thanks.

Christinesays

Can you mix the 4tsp. of the Tummeric Chai Tea Powder into the warm milk and sip without straining it???

Andreasays

Absolutely! Straining is not totally necessary 🙂 I love this mix blended with a glass of warm milk…we call it our golden milk!

Joy Briggssays

It would be really cool to have a printable version of your recipes available! Or maybe you already do and I’m missing it? I’m starting a binder for medicinal recipes and would like to print a page that has your link/blog info intact for future reference. For now, I’ll just copy/paste into a Word doc and include your blog info 🙂 Thanks for such wonderful health information!!!

jensays

Hi Andrea, I just wanted to tell you that I made the tea (with1tsp cayenne) – I had a sore throat so bad I could’t talk or swallow. As I couldn’t swallow well, it took about 45 minutes to drink, and I was sweating the entire time, but by the time I was finished, my throat didn’t even hurt. And, much of my energy was back plus I just felt much better. Seriously, what else can do that? So very glad I found this tea – thank you, thank you!!

Turmeric Chai Tea looks good! will try to make later for my kids, hope this would like it: 🙂

Hannahsays

According to Schreiber (in his book Anti-Cancer), turmeric isn’t absorbed in our bodies unless we cook it in a bit of olive oil (organic and virgin, ideally) and add a dash of black pepper. The chai would, therefore be more beneficial if a dash of black pepper is added!

I do believe all of the concepts you have introduced on your post. They are really convincing and can certainly work. Nonetheless, the posts are very short for novices. May just you please prolong them a bit from next time?